Hash table storages are commonly used to store and retrieve data in many applications today. From a search data input, a hash table storage generates a hash index that identifies the location in a hash table that stores a search key. The hash table storage compares the input search data with the search key to determine whether they match. If these two values match, the storage returns the address at which the data is found. This address is called the hit address. Alternatively, the hash table storage can return lookup data associated with the search data input, by accessing a memory storing the payload data, using the hit address.
The size of hash table memories is proportional to the size of the search keys that they store. As such, the number of records that hash table memories can store is inversely proportional to the size of the stored search keys.